Re: Introduce yourself!

RE: Introduce yourself!

2009-03-04T03:01:56Z

Hi, I'm also a library school student (at UCLA) & doing a thesis on library services to incarcerated youth in California. I've also been a library assistant here at UCLA for many years -- it took awhile before it sank in that I should go to library school & get the degree! I'm part of a student group here that takes books and does book talking at one of the LA County juvenile facilities (Nidorf).

-SLM-

RE: Re: Introduce yourself!

2008-08-25T02:56:54Z

Melisa, thanks for your offer to interview. I've just recently changed my mind about doing a thesis, though. Just last week I interviewed for, was offered, and accepted a librarian position at Montana State Prison! I figure I'll be able to learn much more about prison librarianship by actually doing it than I ever could by writing about it.

RE: Introduce yourself!

2008-08-19T15:35:04Z

Welcome back everyone to the new WebJunction. I hope you will continue to visit this space and make it your own. If you have resources you would like to share, feel free to submit documents to this area of the site.

Having trouble getting started? Check out the Member Center and the Contributor's Guide for guidance.

Emily

Re: Introduce yourself!

2008-07-23T05:33:34Z

Desiree, I'm curious to know how you chose your thesis topic, and I invite you to contact me if you need someone to interview. I have an MLS and am into my 4th year as a correctional library person. Before that, I was in academic libraries, so I have a unique perspective on things.

Re: Introduce yourself!

2008-07-10T15:59:35Z

Welcome Desiree! Your research seems very interesting. I hope you will share back with the community your findings from your research. And as someone who also wrote a thesis during her library school years, good luck and stay sane!

I also want to take this opportunity to tell everyone in this forum about the changes that are coming to WebJunction's site. In about a month, we will be launching on a new, more robust platform that will give you, the members, more power to contribute resources, find others who share your interests, participate in discussions, and take advantage of online learning. There will be a Corrections topic page which I hope all of you will stop by and contribute.

I'll post more information about coming changes soon. For now, if you want to get a sneak peek as to what's coming, check out the [url http://blog.webjunctionworks.org/index.php/category/next-wj/]next WJ category on BlogJunction[/url].

Emily

Re: Introduce yourself!

2008-07-10T00:30:45Z

Hello all. My name is Desiree, and I just finished my second year in the University of Washington's online MLIS program. Like John Paul, I became interested in prison library services very early in my graduate studies. Several of my class projects have focused on prison library issues, and I conducted an internship at the local jail last winter. Now I'm getting ready to write a thesis on prison librarians' perceptions and attitudes about their professional roles. I'm glad to have found this community; I'm sure it will come in handy while I conduct my research!

Re: Introduce yourself!

2008-05-01T23:12:15Z

Welcome Jason. I look forward to reading more about your ideas for a books to prisoners project.

You might try connecting with your state library to see if they can help coordinate something for you.

Emily

Re: Introduce yourself!

2008-05-01T21:50:42Z

Hello All:

My name is Jason Villani and I am a reference librarian at the New Britain Public library in Connecticut. I am interesting in starting an initiative on getting donated books to CT prisons and am wondering how to get started. We get a surplus of books donated to the library with many that would be very useful for prison libraries.

I am wondering how to get the logistics of a plan together to do this. Do I call the prisons individually? Does the prison librarian usually work with receiving donated books? Is there any politics in trying to get something like this done? From what I have heard, in the past our library has tried to donate books to prisons but it became a problem because no one would pick up the books.

I also wanted to mention this group called "Books through Bars" based out of Philadelphia which has been instrumental in my interest in starting such a project.
http://www.booksthroughbars.org/

I would very much like to get something like that started here in CT.

Any thoughts or opinions on this would be greatly appreciated.

Jason

Re: Introduce yourself!

2008-03-10T16:46:32Z

Welcome, Sue -
It's great to see someone familiar with the work the [url http://www.webjunction.org/do/Navigation?category=498]Rural Library Program[/url] in this forum. For those of you new to this discussion, you might find some useful resources in that area of the site.

I look forward to reading people's responses to your question -- "how to find the 'library' amidst all the custody issues".

Emily

Re: Introduce yourself!

2008-03-10T14:18:34Z

Hi John Paul-

I went to Pitt library school too! I graduated in 2005 and I am now a prison librarian outside of Toronto. At the time I was getting my MLS, no one else was interested in Prison Libraries, but I did a little volunteering at Book 'Em in Garfield. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me, although prisons in Canada are much more rehab-oriented, less punitive. My institution is unusual in that it is open dorm style and the "residents" move freely through the institute unescorted, even though it is medium-security. Anyhow, glad to have found this listserv!

Re: Introduce yourself!

2008-02-01T00:16:07Z

I would LOVE to get a list of the "most wanted" books for your incarcerated patrons! Our head librarian is concerned that certain books might not be accepted by the prison system, so a list would give us a good guideline of acceptable literature to look for and send on to you.
Would you please email me at btucker@gila.lib.az.us with this list and instructions on shipping some boxes to you? That would be a great project for the Payson Public Library!

Cheers!

Re: Introduce yourself!

2008-01-22T00:31:29Z

Hello, fellow prison librarians! My name is Sue and moved from the public library setting to a prison library just a few months ago. I was the director of a small, rural library in southeastern Colorado for two years, where I became acquainted with WebJunction and its rural library community. I've also worked in school libraries.

I have a journalism degree from the University of Missouri (go Tigers!) and am originally from northern Illinois. I'm currently working on my MLS through the Colorado cohort of Emporia State University.

My husband is a wildlife officer; our daughter will be 22 in March and has a bachelor's degree in microbiology (and a Harley!). I am an animal lover, especially cats and Pembroke Welsh corgis (I have one; our other dog is a Bloodhound--talk about a strange mix!). I love to read, although I never seem to have much time to do recreational reading anymore. I also enjoy photography and have dabbled in community theater.

I'm interested in talking with other prison librarians, especially those of you with some experience, on how you find the "library" amidst all the custody issues. It seems like I'm always saying "no"! And it's the custody stuff...and paperwork...that seem to be my main duties instead of actual library work! I'd love to start a reading group and other "booky" activities but I'm bogged down in all of this other "stuff". Help!

Re: Introduce yourself!

2008-01-02T17:15:38Z

Hello Murali,
Welcome to WebJunction! I have moved your post to the [url http://webjunction.org/forums/thread.jspa?messageID=49114]general introduction forum[/url], so you can introduce yourself to a broader community of library staff.

I look forward to reading more about your experiences working in a college library in India. I hope you will also explore the [url http://webjunction.org/do/Navigation?category=14860]Resources[/url] and [url http://webjunction.org/do/Navigation?category=372]Courses[/url] area of WebJunction as there are many useful resources there about current trends in the profession.

Emily

Re: Introduce yourself!

2007-12-29T11:15:59Z

Hello everybody,

I am N.Murali sundar, working as a Library Asistant, in Icfai National college, India. Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts Of India, is the leading business school in India. With the passage of time, Icfai National College, was set up
to train the students in Management, Finance, insurance and banking.

I am very delighted to be a member in discussion board.
I would like to know from all of you, the trends in the profession to update myself and implement them in our library
and improve the library.
In this age where libraries are looked down, this forum
inspires me very much in each and every aspect.
thanking you all

murali sundar.

Message moved by administrator to http://webjunction.org/forums/thread.jspa?messageID=49114&#49114

Message was edited by:
emnica

Re: Introduce yourself!

2007-12-28T23:43:52Z

We gladly accept donations! I can get you a list of our "most wanted" materials if you would like. Not to be greedy, but all of our reference materials are at least 3 to 5 years old. Anything off the best seller list is always welcome, but we need quality non-fiction in the following areas too: adventure (extreme) sports, business, real estate, personal finance, self help titles. We have a large demand for street fiction, but no money to buy it. Sigh.

Also, congratulations on getting the love of your life home! I love it when I hear positive reports of ex offenders getting out there and succeeding and making a difference in the lives of others.

Re: Introduce yourself!

2007-12-28T00:50:26Z

Hi Kate ;)
My name is Bessie....I am a WebJunction Spanish Language Outreach trainer and serve as Reference Librarian at the Payson Public Library in Payson, AZ! I am so very excited about this message board for Prison Libraries, for a very personal reason. The love of my life is a former inmate of the Douglas, Az complex....( I can hear the gasps, even now!).
Long story, short....Benjamin is convinced that the few books that were available to him while incarcerated played a key part in changing the course and direction of his life.
His passion for reading and the life-changing effect it can have in the life of any idividual can be seen today in his service with the ReadOut program as a mentor in Gila County's Juvenile Court system. Young offenders are paired with mentors who meet with them here at the library on a weekly basis to discuss books they read together. This is in substitute of juvenile detention or community service!
Ben's involvement in the program is one of many ways he seeks to give back to society and have a positive impact on troubled youth in our community.
Now, I want to give back! I want to know how I can contribute to the collection at the Douglas prison complex in Benjamin's name for the Christmas season. Can you help me? How do we as librarians in public libraries contribute to facility collections?
Thank you, Thank you for all of your input!

Re: Introduce yourself!

2007-12-27T22:48:58Z

Welcome, Kate! And thanks for sharing your tips for computer classes to inmates. I look forward to reading about your experiences and resources that you have to share with the rest of the WebJunction community.

Emily

Re: Introduce yourself!

2007-12-27T22:24:52Z

My name is Kate Fry and I am a Correctional Librarian at Arizona State Prison Complex in Douglas. I have charge of three of the six "Resource Centers" and have worked here for five years. I love my job. I have approximately 1400 inmates to find reading materials for, from level 5 inmates all the way down to level 1.

The work I do is very challenging and fulfilling. I have worked in business, college, university and military library settings and find the correctional library environment to be unique.

Some days I suit up in protective equipment to serve library needs in lock down, and some days I run a small library which resembles in many ways a small rural town facility, the only difference being this facility is inside the razor wire and has a very limited collection and no internet.

Due to immense budget constraints, almost all of our materials are donated.

I am very happy to have found WebJunction and look forward to reading more about prison librarianship and the experiences of other library workers in this field.

Re: Introduce yourself!

2007-12-26T21:35:06Z

Hi Anne,
Welcome to WebJunction!

I have started a [url http://webjunction.org/forums/thread.jspa?messageID=49040&tstart=0#49040]new discussion thread[/url] based on your excellent question.

If you do develop a curriculum for the class you are developing, we'd love to see it on the discussion boards. I'm sure others are having to "wing it" as well and could benefit from your experience.

Thanks,
Emily

Re: Introduce yourself!

2007-12-19T22:27:33Z

Hi Everyone -

My name is Anne and I work at the Chicopee Public Library in MA. I am currently enrolled at Simmons College for an MLS!

I am preparing a collaboration with the women's jail that recently opened in our city. My plan is to offer a 4-6 week (once per week) computer class at our library geared toward resume writing and online job seeking - with the end result hopefully being a resume and some searching skills.

I am wondering if anyone knows of any sources or research I can turn to for guidance - I am winging it! My plan is to become part of the After Incarceration Services System and be part of the bigger plan for the women.

Any comments/advice/guidance will be much appreciated!

Thanks -
Anne